Visualization Exercises

Visualization is incredibly important for all areas of life you wish to improve in. Gymnasts visualize their routine in great detail before they step on the mat, so they can see every move in their mind. Dancers do the same thing. Successful negotiators visualize the successful conclusion of the meeting and can see the "end results". The more adept you get at visualizing, the more your brain can achieve that success.

Sit down in a quiet location and then determine what it is you wish to visualize. Is it that you can communicate telepathically with a dear friend? Would you like to see a future situation? Whatever it is you wish to experience, relax, take in some deep breaths, and then visualize what it would be *like* to have that happen. Visualize it in as rich detail as you can. What would the sounds be like? What would the images be like? Play out the scene in your mind.

It might be challenging at first to make the scene rich. That is fine - that is what practice is all about! Do the best that you can. The next time you work on visualizing, it will be a little bit more clear. Every step you take helps you to reach your goal.

Many people use "vision boards" where they draw out or write out what their goals are. For example a person who wanted to graduate from college might make a vision board full of graduation caps and gowns, a diploma, a group of happy friends, and so on. Create yourself a vision board for what you want to achieve, and put it somewhere that it can be seen and inspire you.

Studies have shown that the act of thinking seriously about having achieved something creates the same brain pathways as actually doing it does! That is, if you sat at a desk every day for a half hour and imagined, intently, how to play a certain passage on a piano, you would actually be better at playing that passage at the end of a few weeks. Your mental practice would have built the pathways in the brain that help you achieve that goal.

So believe in the power of your brain. It is an amazing organ and it listens avidly to what you tell it. Send it positive, encouraging signals, and help to train it to reach your goals!